CONNECTION TO COUNTRY DRIVES TEAM 18’S DARWIN COLOURS

MEDIA RELEASE/Team 18 – Photos: supplied

Team 18 have unveiled their colours for Supercars’ annual Indigenous Round, with striking new liveries set to hit the track at the betr Darwin Triple Crown at Hidden Valley on June 19-21.

The Melbourne-based squad heads north looking to continue its strong recent form at one of its most successful events, having scored podium finishes at the Darwin Triple Crown in each of the past three seasons.

To bring this year’s Indigenous Round liveries to life, Team 18 partnered with Aboriginal artist Presten Warren. Based in Port Lincoln, South Australia, Warren is a proud Wirangu, Dieri, Kokatha, Mirning and Arabana man whose artwork draws on stories of Country, connection, family and identity. As a descendant of both desert and ocean peoples, Warren uses his art to continue a storytelling tradition spanning more than 65,000 years, sharing the cultural knowledge and experiences passed down through generations while maintaining a strong connection to culture and Country.

The Snowy River Racing Chevrolet Camaro of David Reynolds features Warren’s artwork Camping Under the Stars, with the team’s traditional teal colours making way for a striking red, orange and earth-toned design inspired by the Australian landscape, creating one of the most visually distinctive liveries on the Indigenous Round grid.

Inspired by people gathering on Country beneath the night sky, the artwork uses meeting places, tracks and journey lines to represent connection, ancestors and shared stories. Rich earthy colours evoke firelight, red dirt and the feeling of spending time outdoors together, capturing the sense of community, belonging and connection that sits at the heart of the piece.

Reynolds enters the Darwin Triple Crown on the back of his first podium finish of the season in Tasmania and will be looking to continue that momentum at one of his favourite events on the calendar after already spending time in the Top End in the lead-up to the round.

For Anton De Pasquale, Warren’s artwork Thriving on Country has been integrated with the DEWALT Racing Camaro’s signature yellow and black scheme.

The piece explores the powerful connection people have with their homeland and the importance of caring for Country so it can continue to sustain future generations. Through interconnected symbols representing medicine leaves, kangaroo and emu tracks, seeds, fruits, waterholes, rock pools, mountain ranges, campfires and community, the artwork celebrates the relationship between people, culture and the environment.

De Pasquale heads to Darwin following one of his strongest weekends of the season in Tasmania, where he finished third overall and climbed to sixth in the championship standings.

The 2026 betr Darwin Triple Crown gets underway on Friday with a 45-minute practice session before qualifying and Race 17. Saturday and Sunday will each feature qualifying, a Top Ten Shootout and a 200km race, with all the action broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo.

Anton De Pasquale, driver #18 DEWALT Racing, Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

“Darwin is one of the coolest rounds of the year. We go from a cold Tasmania to a warm Darwin, which is always nice.

“It’s also great to change the look of the cars and run our Indigenous Round liveries. I think the car looks amazing. Darwin was where I scored my first podium with Team 18 last year and I’ve had some really good races there in the past, so I’m excited to get back up north.

“The goal for us this year is to make the Finals and finish the season strongly. We’re in a good position in the championship, but we want to keep moving forward and hopefully that starts again in Darwin. We had really good car speed there last year and car speed is king, so hopefully we’ve got that again this weekend.

“The DEWALT Camaro looks amazing. Preston Warren has done an awesome job with the artwork and it ties in really well with our colours and overall livery. It’s a special design with a deeper meaning behind it, and we’re proud to carry it for Indigenous Round. I’m really excited to get to Darwin, embrace the occasion and hopefully have a successful weekend with this car.”

David Reynolds, driver #20 Snowy River Racing, Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

“Yeah, I love going to Darwin. It’s one of the greatest places on earth. It’s always such a good place to visit and race at. No matter whether you’re there for work or racing, you always feel like you’re on a holiday. It’s such a beautiful place.

“I took the family up to Darwin before Tasmania and actually did a little promo called Dave’s Darwin Hot Lap, which was all about the things you can do with your family in a day. It was really hectic, but a lot of fun.

“I always make sure I bring my family up there because my wife is from Darwin and she’s still got grandparents, aunties and uncles living there. We always make it a bit of a family trip and there’s so much for kids to do up there. It’s a really fun place to spend time.

“I think we’re starting to get more confidence in our set-up and that was evident in Tasmania. Obviously, the category made a few changes to the cars, which really helped me out, but I think it’s also a combination of the momentum we’ve built since the start of the year. Everything seemed to come together in Tassie and hopefully we don’t have to change the car too much heading into Darwin.

“The Snowy River Camaro looks fantastic. It’s probably one of my favourite Indigenous Round liveries we’ve ever done. I love the colours and I love the design. Preston Warren has done an amazing job with the artwork, which is titled Camping Under the Stars. It really captures the spirit of Darwin and one of my favourite rounds on the calendar. I’m really excited to get back up there.”

Presten Warren, Indigenous Artist

“It’s been a really special project to work with Team 18 and see these artworks come to life in a completely different way. Both Thriving on Country and Camping Under the Stars are centred around connection, connection to Country, community, family and the stories that bring us together.

“Thriving on Country is about reconnecting with your homeland and recognising the importance of caring for Country so it can continue to care for us. Camping Under the Stars captures the feeling of gathering on Country, sharing stories and spending time together beneath the night sky. While they’re different stories, they both reflect the strong relationships Aboriginal people have with the land and with each other.

“Seeing the artwork on the Team 18 Supercars is incredibly special. The cars become moving canvases that take these stories to people all around the country, whether they’re at the track, watching on television or following online. It’s a great opportunity to share Aboriginal culture with a wider audience and celebrate the significance of Indigenous Round in Darwin.

“I’m proud to be involved with Team 18 and grateful for the opportunity to have my artwork represented on such a big stage. Hopefully the cars look just as good at the front of the field as they do standing still, and we can see them fighting for some silverware across the weekend.”

SCHEDULE
2026 betr Darwin Triple Crown
(All Times ACST)

Friday 19 June

10:20am, Practice 1 (45 mins)
1:20pm, Qualifying Part 1 – Race 17 (12 mins)
1:40pm, Qualifying Part 2 – Race 17 (8 mins)
5:00pm, Race 17 – 100km (35 laps or 1 lap after 5:58pm)

Saturday 20 June

10:40am, Qualifying Part 1 – Race 18 (12 mins)
11:00am, Qualifying Part 2 – Race 18 (12 mins)
11:35am, Qualifying Part 3 (Top Ten Shootout) – Race 18 (25 mins)
3:20pm, Race 18 – 200km (70 laps or 1 lap after 4:58pm)

Sunday 21 June

10:40am, Qualifying Part 1 – Race 19 (12 mins)
11:00am, Qualifying Part 2 – Race 19 (12 mins)
11:35am, Qualifying Part 3 (Top Ten Shootout) – Race 19 (25 mins)
2:40pm, Race 19 – 200km (70 laps or 1 lap after 4:18pm)

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